Soaked Run

[BobbieB7]

Hello
I’m from Rhode Island
Gotta love it!
How many of us here with uncovered Runs?
I had the bright idea to use an old cabana cover to put on run. This idea was brilliant for hot days. The run was much cooler, but I didn’t think about the rain fully.
I did have it propped up in places, but the rain just gathered.
Last night at midnight the one bubble of water was touching the top of coop.
It had to come off!
I’m not sure how many gallons of water poured into run.
The photo of plastic with water is what came in after top off!
Bleeping bleeping
Ugh!
So now I have a deep litter that was working perfectly, no smell or flies completely saturated!
Ugh again
So what’sthe plan ?
I don’t know
Need some encouragement here.
I’m thinking the entire run needs to be raked out.
I can’t see it drying and the smell will be disgusting once heat is back.
What are you gonna do?
Help
Yes and my Gracie is really letting me know her concerns
Lol love this Chick
And K keeps running up into roost
“A” frame is dust bath
Wish the video of Gracie letting me have it would load
Bedding is a mix of pine shavings and pelletized bedding
We are still building permanent coop and run is not in final spot, hence reason for not have a more permanent cover

 

[3KillerBs]

My run is uncovered (the picnic flies are for shade, not rain-protection), with Deep Litter and I never have an odor problem (I add more litter if I get even a hint). We had a very wet winter, but the organic material did it's job of composting together with the poop.

I haven't cleaned out the run in a year and don't intend to clean it until I move the chickens to the Chicken Palace (still in progress). That's the beauty of Deep Litter.

If you have an odor problem in Deep Litter try adding another 4" or so of dry organic material. I just dump it into a pile and the chickens spread it for me.

If I want them to turn over a particular area I throw a handful of scratch into the litter there and they get right to work.

 

[3KillerBs]

Hello
I’m from Rhode Island
Gotta love it!
How many of us here with uncovered Runs?
I had the bright idea to use an old cabana cover to put on run. This idea was brilliant for hot days. The run was much cooler, but I didn’t think about the rain fully.
I did have it propped up in places, but the rain just gathered.
Last night at midnight the one bubble of water was touching the top of coop.
It had to come off!
I’m not sure how many gallons of water poured into run.
The photo of plastic with water is what came in after top off!
Bleeping bleeping
Ugh!
So now I have a deep litter that was working perfectly, no smell or flies completely saturated!
Ugh again
So what’sthe plan ?
I don’t know
Need some encouragement here.
I’m thinking the entire run needs to be raked out.
I can’t see it drying and the smell will be disgusting once heat is back.
What are you gonna do?
Help
Yes and my Gracie is really letting me know her concerns
Lol love this Chick
And K keeps running up into roost
“A” frame is dust bath
Wish the video of Gracie letting me have it would load
Bedding is a mix of pine shavings and pelletized bedding
We are still building permanent coop and run is not in final spot, hence reason for not have a more permanent cover

P.S. Your A-frame dustbath is adorable!

 

[RojoMarz]

Add more fresh litter or throw some pallets down for the chickens to walk on. That is what I've had to do, because we have gotten quite a bit of rain recently and the chicken run was "floating".

 

[aart]

Are those just pine shavings?

Get some chunkier wood chippings.

 

[RubyLady]

Our little pen was waterlogged the third week of May when it rained non-stop for 7 days. I covered the back of it between the coop and the back wall with a 6x8 tarp so they always have a dry feeding area behind the coop. Then I had to get back up and put another 8x10 tarp between the coop and the wall closest in the photo (by the human door). That leaves the catty-corner to the coop uncovered but it was also so humid, I couldn't imagine trapping all that moisture.

When it stopped raining, I took off the larger tarp and left the other in back.

it rained again this week like gang-busters and I had to put the big one up again and I have to go out a couple of times a day just to push the sags of rain-filled tarp up and let the water drain off the sides. The pen is covered with chicken wire, but the tarp sags anyway. I threw a little dry hay down to make it less muddy. It was sunny again yesterday so I lazily just pulled the big tarp over the coop roof for now. I didn't feel like climbing up and moving all the bricks holding it down on the coop roof.

I also trimmed some of those tree branches yesterday so the morning sun could come in and dry out some of the dirt floor. But when the sun gets higher the tree still shades the pen and coop. They were hanging a lot lower than this pic shows.